Top 10 Agency Initiatives: Interior Department

As part of the special Federal News Radio series, “The Obama Impact: Evaluating the Last Four Years,” we asked more than two dozen federal agencies — including all of the Cabinet-level agencies — for a list of the three most effective, nonpolitical management initiatives or policies they’ve embarked on over the past four years.

IT Transformation

IT Transformation is Interior’s initiative to provide employees with 21st Century IT and support good government practices by reducing waste, cutting costs and integrating services.

Why is “IT Transformation” an effective management initiative?

• Modernizes the way we do business while cutting costs. For example, Interior is in the process of implementing Department-wide cloud email and collaboration services using Google Apps for Government. The implementation of a single enterprise-wide email system will replace seven different existing email systems, cutting waste and eliminating redundancy.
• Employee Friendly. Interior will be able to better support employees who travel often or are relocated in remote field locations.
• Leverages the advances in the market place to save money. By leveraging cloud solutions and other technological advances, $500 million in taxpayer dollars will be saved by 2020.

America’s Great Outdoors

America’s Great Outdoors is a set of principles that unite efforts to conserve natural and cultural resources, preserve our history for future generations, and expand public use and recreation. Interior is leading efforts to support partnership- and community-driven conservation and outdoor recreation efforts based on the values and priorities spelled out through a series of listening sessions throughout America and a follow-on effort to better align public and private, national and local efforts. AGO promotes enhanced opportunities for youth employment, access to recreation in urban areas, rivers and blueways, and protection of historic uses like ranching and farming.

Why is “AGO” an effective management initiative?

• AGO is a way to bolster ongoing efforts in conservation through partnerships at the Federal, State and local levels. Interior, and other federal agencies, conduct efforts to conserve natural and cultural resources, balance the protection of the environment with development of energy and other resources on public lands, promote outdoor recreation and the ability of all people to have locally-based outdoor spaces, and work in partnership to better align funding and other resources to increase the effectiveness of these efforts and promote efficiency.
• AGO can help to fuel America’s economy. Hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation directly contribute $646B to the U.S. economy each year. The ripple effect- including impacts of spending, jobs and wages as they circulate further throughout the economy- is even more substantial, totally $1.6T in economic impact and touching 12 million jobs in the U.S. An integrated approach to protect and make available for public use will effectively support expanded tourism and recreation.

Youth

The objectives of the Youth in the Great Outdoors initiative are to employ thousands of youth to protect and restore our environment and revitalize our communities; educate millions of youth about our lands, waters, wildlife, culture, and heritage; and engage youth from all backgrounds and all walks of life.

Why is “Youth in the Great Outdoors” an effective management initiative?

• Youth in the Great Outdoors is a critical workforce management tool. Interior, like most other federal agencies, faces an impending wave of retirements. Youth in the Great Outdoors helps build a pipeline of younger workers who are interested in conservation and Interior’s mission.
• Youth in the Great Outdoors supports our diversity goals. The initiative is intended to engage youth from all backgrounds and all walks of life who otherwise may not be exposed to the mission of Interior.
• It is foundational for the achievement of Interior’s mission. As the custodian of the nation’s recreational, natural, cultural and historic resources and trustees to honor America’s responsibilities to Tribal Nation’s, we have a duty to help people of all ages and backgrounds connect with their land and heritage. Fostering an appreciation in the youth of today is critical to ensuring preservation of these resources for generations to come.

Service First

Service First is a unique partnership authority that allows the four land management agencies (Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Forest Service) to work through administrative barriers to improve operational efficiencies, customer service and management of natural and cultural resources. In FY 2012, the authority for Service First became permanent.

Why is “Service First” an effective management initiative?

• Great example of “good government.” Service First enables the agencies to transfer and reimburse funds; share positions, office and warehouse space, fleet, and visitor facilities; conduct activities on behalf of each other, including permitting and leasing; promulgate special rules, and make reciprocal delegations of their respective authorities, duties and responsibilities.
• Expandable. The Department of the Interior is building upon the successes of the Service First initiative and will expand it across the Department. The objective of the Department-wide Service First transformation initiative is to identify opportunities to integrate and leverage resources used by Interior bureaus and offices and to shrink the Department’s footprint, maximize efficiency, and identify savings while maintaining the level of mission delivery.
• Tailored to the needs of the mission. The authority is a tool, not a mandate, and has built-in flexibility to allow its application to be tailored to individual situations and varying field circumstances.

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